Thank you for writing this. Self-hatred shouldn’t come as standard for women; it’s an ongoing maintenance job to keep being kind to ourselves, like the never-ending job of painting a bridge.

From the example of physically beautiful women in my life, I’ve come to know that the landscape of our minds is so much more central to our sense of our own okayness than the shape of our bodies.

Thank you again. I hope you can keep your mind-bridge mostly painted, and be happy.